Bioflavonoids News

TUESDAY, Aug. 22, 2017 – Men, and especially male smokers, appear to be more likely to develop lung cancer if they take high doses of vitamins B6 and B12, new research suggests. For men taking these vitamin supplements, the risk of lung cancer was nearly doubled. For men who smoked, the risk was between three and four times higher, the study found. "High-dose B6 and B12 supplements should not be taken for lung cancer prevention, especially in men, and they may cause harm in male smokers," said study lead author Theodore Brasky. He is a research assistant professor at Ohio State University. However, the study wasn't designed to prove cause-and-effect between the vitamins and lung cancer; it only showed an association. It's also not clear why only men and current male smokers seem to face an extra risk. And a trade organization representing the vitamin industry cautioned against reading ... Read more

THURSDAY, Aug. 17, 2017 – Mom was right – eating breakfast really is important. Without it, kids may not get recommended amounts of nutrients, British researchers suggest. "This study provides evidence that breakfast is key for parents to ensure that their children are getting the nutrition they need," said senior study author Gerda Pot, a lecturer in nutritional sciences at King's College London. The researchers used food diaries to track the diets of more than 800 children aged 4 to 10 and nearly 900 kids aged 11 to 18. Their food intake was tracked from 2008 to 2012. The researchers compared levels of key nutrients that the kids ate to British nutrition guidelines For the study, breakfast was defined as more than 100 calories of food between 6 and 9 a.m. Although the study wasn't designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship, the researchers did find that breakfast skippers had ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 16, 2017 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of numerous liquid pharmaceutical products because of possible bacterial contamination that could cause severe infections in vulnerable patients. The drugs and dietary supplements, made by PharmaTech LLC in Davie, Fla., include liquid stool softeners, liquid vitamin D drops and liquid multivitamins marketed for infants and children, the agency said in a news release. Reports of the discovery of Burkholderia cepacia bacteria in both Diocto Liquid and Diocto Syrup prompted the voluntary recall by three companies that label PharmaTech products, the FDA said. The three companies are Rugby Laboratories, Major Pharmaceuticals and Leader Brands. "B. cepacia poses a serious threat to vulnerable patients, including infants and young children who still have developing immune systems," FDA Commissioner Dr. ... Read more

FRIDAY, April 7, 2017 – Millions of American men pop a multivitamin each day, but new research shows the pills won't help the heart – even if a man's nutrition is lacking. "Many had thought that men with 'poor' nutritional status at baseline may benefit more from long-term multivitamin use on cardiovascular outcomes; however, we did not see any evidence for this in our recent analysis," study author Howard Sesso, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said in a hospital news release. According to background information from the researchers, more than half of older Americans take a multivitamin each day. However, many prior studies have shown little evidence of any health benefit. In the new research, Sesso and his colleagues tracked data from an ongoing study of more than 14,000 U.S. male doctors over the age of 50. A prior look at this data had found that taking multivitamins did ... Read more

MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2017 – Juicing may be a popular health fad, but evidence suggests it could actually be detrimental to a good diet. The same goes for coconut oil, which is loaded with saturated fat but has emerged as another dietary craze in the United States. And a gluten-free diet likely has little positive health benefit for people who do not have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. These conclusions are part of a new review of the latest scientific evidence on food and nutrition that was conducted to shed some light on the latest diet fads. "There is widespread confusion in terms of nutrition. Every day someone says something is good, and then the next day they say it's bad," said review lead author Dr. Andrew Freeman, co-chair of the American College of Cardiology's Lifestyle and Nutrition Work Group. "Our purpose was to do our best to give clinicians the tools they need to help ... Read more

-- Young athletes who push themselves too hard without getting the proper nourishment risk making themselves sick. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains how to avoid malnutrition among young athletes: Teach children about the importance of fueling their bodies, and the risks of not getting enough nutrients. Watch for signs of malnourishment and eating disorders, including unexplained weight loss, fatigue, a spike in strains and sprains, increased temperature sensitivity and preoccupation with food. Be aware of irregular menstrual cycles, a potential sign of malnourishment among female athletes Make sure young athletes eat regular healthy meals and snacks. Read more

-- To help give your immune system enough strength to protect you from the sniffles and sneezes, start with vitamin C-rich foods. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says: Vitamin C helps the body repair and grow tissue. Vitamin C helps the body absorb a type of iron. Besides citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, strawberries and kiwis also are good sources of vitamin C. Vegetables such as green and red bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes all contain vitamin C. To reap the greatest benefit, enjoy these fruits and veggies soon after purchasing. Avoid long cooking times. Read more

MONDAY, March 21, 2016 – More seniors than ever are taking supplements alongside their medications, a practice that puts them at risk for dangerous drug interactions, researchers report. More than 15 percent of older Americans took potentially life-threatening combinations of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements in 2011, the study showed. That was almost a twofold increase from 2005, when 8.4 percent of seniors did so. "Alongside the growing use of multiple medications, there is also a hidden, and increasing, risk of potentially deadly drug interactions in older adults," said lead researcher Dr. Dima Qato. She is an assistant professor of pharmacy systems at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Many of these interactions involved heart drugs and supplements, such as omega-3 fish oil supplements, which are more commonly used now than they were five ... Read more

-- If you're feeding your child a vegetarian diet, make sure he or she is getting enough essential nutrients. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says the child's diet should include: Vitamin B12, found in eggs and milk. If the child is on a strictly vegan diet, fortified soy products and fortified cereals are good sources. Vitamin D and calcium, found in fortified milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt. Iron, found in daily supplements and fortified cereals. Protein, found in beans, fortified cereals and soy milk. Yogurt and eggs also are good choices. Fiber, found in fortified and whole-grain breads, pastas and cereals, as well as avocados, nuts and seeds. Read more

WEDNESDAY, May 13, 2015 – A cheap and easily available vitamin supplement appears to reduce a person's risk of skin cancer, new research contends. A form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide is linked to a reduction of non-melanoma skin cancers by 23 percent when taken twice daily, according to Australian researchers. "It's safe, it's almost obscenely inexpensive, and it's already widely commercially available," said senior author Dr. Diona Damian, a professor of dermatology at the University of Sydney. Nicotinamide costs less than $10 for a month's supply and is available at pharmacies and health food stores, she said. However, more study is needed before researchers can say whether everyone would benefit from the supplement. "It's not something we'd recommend at this stage for the general population," Damian said. The study is slated for presentation May 30 at the upcoming annual ... Read more

FRIDAY, May 8, 2015 – For obese Americans who are low on vitamin D, taking a supplement of the nutrient might help them lose weight, a new study suggests. According to an Italian team, led by Luisella Vigna of the University of Milan, prior research has shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of obesity and obesity-related complications. However, studies on the use of vitamin D supplements to curb obesity have so far been inconclusive, the team said. The new study included 400 overweight and obese people with vitamin D deficiency who were put on a low-calorie diet and then divided into three groups. One group took no vitamin D supplements, while the two other groups took either 25,000 international units (IU) or 100,000 IU of vitamin D per month. After six months, participants in both vitamin D supplementation groups had lost more weight and had greater ... Read more

THURSDAY, April 30, 2015 – People who live in regions with low sunlight may have a higher risk of pancreatic cancer, possibly because they don't get enough vitamin D from the sun, new research suggests. "If you're living at a high latitude or in a place with a lot of heavy cloud cover, you can't make vitamin D most of the year, which results in a higher-than-normal risk of getting pancreatic cancer," said study co-author Dr. Cedric Garland. He is an adjunct professor with the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Public Health. "People who live in sunny countries near the equator have only one-sixth of the age-adjusted incidence rate of pancreatic cancer as those who live far from it," Garland said in a university news release. "The importance of sunlight deficiency strongly suggests – but does not prove – that vitamin D deficiency ... Read more